The Escalante City government has eased its border checkpoints, except for the one at its seaport.
Mayor Melecio Yap Jr. in an executive order issued today, February 16, said that all established border controls within the city are lifted except the seaport border for incoming individuals from Cebu.
He said the seaport border in Crossing Danao in Barangay Old Poblacion will be strengthened by reactivating the composite team of the police, army, and other agencies.
The Philippine Coast Guard substation in Escalante City was also directed to establish full coordination with its counterparts in Cebu by requesting for a copy of the trip manifest of all incoming vessels entering the jurisdiction of the locality, and that the Bantay Dagat in coordination with PCG should actively conduct seaborne patrol operations within its municipal waters.
For locally stranded individuals, their repatriation will be scheduled to prevent congestion and overcrowding in the quarantine facilities of the city.
For LSIs coming from Cebu, their schedule to return to the city will be on Sunday, Monday, and Thursday, and those coming from Iloilo will be Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Those coming from other parts of the country should coordinate with the city’s local Inter-Agency Task Force of their travel details, at least five days before their expected arrival, the EO said.
Returning overseas Filipinos and overseas Filipino workers should also coordinate with the local IATF regarding their travel five days before their expected arrival, while authorized persons outside residence will not be required to undergo mandatory testing or quarantine protocols.
LSIs, OFWs, and ROFs will be quarantined at the established facilities of the city at the New COVID Quarantine while home quarantine will only be allowed to senior citizens, minors, and those who are immuno-compromised, and frontliners, the EO said.
Home quarantine will be allowed only if there is a separate dwelling with its own comfort room devoted exclusively for the use of the person under monitoring or person under investigation, the EO stressed, adding that individuals under home quarantine will be strictly monitored.
Violators will be held administratively or criminally.*